PPL CEO gives his view on US performance rights in Music Week

In a recent piece published in Music Week (8th November 2013), PPL CEO Peter Leathem highlighted the efforts that PPL and other Performance Rights Organisations (PROs) are making to establish a performance right for terrestrial radio in the United States and outlined the impact such a right would have on the global music industry.

In the article titled ‘Fighting For the Right’ which is available to view and download here; Peter talks about campaigning for this important performance right in the US at various high-profile lobbying sessions and debates. He expresses why this action needs be taken:

“The basic principle that applies around much of the rest of the world is that if a business wants to make use of someone’s sound recordings then it is only right that the owner of those recordings and the performers on those recordings benefit by way of a small share of the commercial upside that business enjoys by using the recordings.

“When I have previously joined the lobbying efforts in the US, examples have been provided of now destitute performers who have their recorded performances played on radio all of the time yet receive no payments despite their essential contribution to the multi-billion dollar US commercial radio industry.”

Peter also explained the potential wider impact of the introduction of this performance right:

“Given the popularity of music from the UK in the US, any share of the revenues of the terrestrial radio market in the US would have a significant beneficial impact on the UK recorded music industry.

“As US repertoire would qualify for copyright protection in many more countries around the world, there would necessarily be a positive impact on total licensing revenues and so a very positive impact on the global recording industry, even if that meant a slight redistribution of value toward the US repertoire in certain territories.”

To download the full ‘Viewpoint’ article from Music Week, click here. And remember to follow our Twitter @ppluk account for more news updates from PPL.